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Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus

sreda, maj 08, 2013

I have very stubborn lashes that refuse to stay curled unless I use a good waterproof mascara. So far I have rarely been truly impressed by any, a notable exception being Helena Rubinstein Lash Queen Feline Black waterproof, which costs an eye-watering 30 €, but it sure holds the curl all day and makes your lashes look amazing. I have heard that Japanese mascaras hold curl very well, so after checking some reviews I narrowed my choice to two mascaras - Fairy Drops Platinum Waterproof and this one, Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus.

The design of the tube is definitely eye-catching with the gold/black label and an interesting top. The brush is unusual with a two sided design, one side has a comb and the other what I can only describe as evenly spaced grooves. I suppose the idea is to use the "groove" side first to get the product on the lashes and then the other side to comb them through. The brush is small, especially in comparison to the new big brushes that became so popular in the recent years. I must admit, I needed a few uses to get used to it, because it's definitely not the easiest brush to work with. What I can say is that the brush almost ruins this mascara for me. It seems to me like it was made for very short lashes, because it barely combs though mine. The grooves on both sides are just not deep enough for both application and separation. It almost feels like I'm applying mascara with a stick. First coat goes on easy and looks good, the lashes look separated and darker, but the problems appear with the second coat. The lashes starts to clump together and the brush just piles the product on, but the comb can't separate them any more. I have to use an old mascara wand from L'Oreal's Million lashes (one of the best brushes ever) to separate the lashes and avoid it looking too spidery.I do however, get a lot of volume with the second coat. I don't know how such a brush performs on short lashes though.

As much as I dislike the brush, the formula is great. It's jet black, honestly one of the darkest mascaras I've had. It's not waterproof and wetter than I'm used to, but it holds curl all day, which makes me one happy camper.Of course, I have to make sure that the curl is great from the start by using my Tana lash curlers and the mascara works like a hair spray for lashes, so just holds it in place. Basically, the lashes stay the same as when I applied it all day - curled, volumised and black. A lot of mascaras change colour on me and get lighter during the day, but not this one.
It is a fibre mascara and you can see the fibres on the brush. I don't notice my lashes being any longer because of that and it's definitely not that special when it comes to lengthening in comparison to regular mascaras. The fibres in it are quite big and occasionally some do fall off the lashes, either on the cheeks or in the eye, the latter can be a bit uncomfortable and even painful.
It's very volumising because of the thicker formula, but as I said it has a tendency to clump up fast. Personally, I prefer the volumising effect of Maybelline's the Colossal mascara. I compared the two, each on one eye and the Maybelline one looked more natural, the lashes were more defined, but still volumised.

It's not a waterproof mascara, but removal can be difficult if you don't use an oil based eye makeup remover. I use the Maybelline's spezial waterproof one. It doesn't run under a shower like other non-waterproof mascaras do, only the fibres fall off, still I wouldn't go swimming with it.

I got it on eBay from one the most thoughtful sellers (this one), who included a nice note and mascara took only one week to arrive from Thailand. I paid about 14 €.

It's a great mascara, but it has it's faults. I like the formula, but dislike the brush. However, since I have an old mascara wand to brush through my lashes, I don't find this such a big problem, just more of a nuisance. It passes with flying colours when it comes to holding the curl all day and it does give you a lot of volume, but lengthening-wise the fibres don't make much of a difference compared to regular formulas. A lot of people rave about this mascara, but I don't know whether they have mostly short lashes, because I find the brush difficult to use on mine. I'll probably get the Fairy Drops one next, I'm hoping it has a similar, great formula, but with a better brush for my lashes.